A Working Title
by MyAnagramStartsHere
Summary: What happens when you take a Canadian high-schooler and throw her into the L.A. acting scene? Hilarity and crazy shenanigans, that's what! Darren Criss introduces Alyce to the Glee family, and now there's no going back! My first ever fic! Please review!
1. Chapter 1: Daarrreenn!

**Hey Guys! So I'm excited because this is my very first fanfiction! Techinically it's not an actual character fanfiction, but I've seen so many real-life fanfictions and I had this one brewing so I decided to bring it out! **

**I write stories, but I've never really written anything that involved real people, so we'll see how this goes!**

**Please please review and criticize and tell me it's terrible or tell me it's amazing or whatever you want but tell me!**

**Obviously I don't own Glee, but I'm pretty sure everybody realizes that already so it's kind of redundant.**

**ANYWAYS! I really hope you like it and I have a couple chapters pre-written so I'll be posting new ones on a review count basis. SInce I'm new, I'm only hoping on 10 reviews for this one. Also, just a short disclaimer, I am Canadian (That gets more obvious when you read the story) and I am also British so I may say things differently than Americans or Australians or Spaniards OR other people! I'm just saying, don't go off on me if I spell colour with a 'u', I'm just being Canadian!**

**But I know you are all amazing people so I don't think I'll have to worry about that, so just enjoy the story and please review and tell me how I can make it better!**

**Cheers, Jen**

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><p>"Darren," Alyce whispered, prodding the sleeping giant…or rather midget! "Daaaaarrrreeenn…wakey wakey!...DARREN!" She yelled, snapping a photo as he started to stir. He was lying in his bed, his arms bent above his head, one stuck under a pillow.<p>

"Who's dying?" Darren mumbled…swinging his arms around, trying to combat the persistence of his friend, Alyce.

"Criss! Wake Up! Nooowwww!" she whined, then gave up on that plan, and started jumping on his bed. Pillows went flying as the feisty brunette dodged his arms and sang his name.

"Whaaa….WHAT IS GOING ON?" he yelled, jumping up, and simultaneously getting caught in his blue Harry Potter covers and falling back, this causing Alyce to get pushed away, which _of course_ resulted in her tripping off the bed and falling into a heap on the carpet (which looked suspiciously like a lion with a wizard's hat on).

"Aaaaaaooooooohhh!" The heap moaned, limbs splayed in different directions. Darren peered off the now completely messy bed, his eyes widening when he saw Alyce on the floor.

"Aly!" Darren threw off his covers and kneeled beside the lump to which he was referring. "Are you okay?"

"Mmmmm…geez!" she groaned, righting herself and collapsing on the carpet again (it was definitely a lion…) "Why? Criss, why?"

"You jumped on my bed! And you are asking _me_ that?" he gave her an incredulous look. "How did you get into my apartment anyways?"

Alyce shifted and sat up, shrugging. "Your landlord let me in…" She gave him an innocent look. She was always doing these sorts of things. It was really a wonder he was surprised. He remembered one time she managed to get VIP tickets to an exclusive premiere, all by simply having a ten-minute conversation with the theatre owner.

"He just let you in? No questions asked?" Darren said, not buying the story. He was way too perceptive for his own good, Alyce thought. And she had told him so many times, but he had only gotten better.

"I may or may not have said I was your sister…and that I was dog-sitting for you…." She trailed off, looking hopeful.

"I don't own a dog, Al. And besides, you'd never get past Ralph!" he said triumphantly, Ralph, the landlord was a man of steel, he didn't let anyone in the building without checking their names first.

"Okaaayy!" Alyce relented, blowing a loose piece of brown hair out of her face. "So I might have said that 'Sarge' was really sick, and they thought he was going to die, and you really loved him, and you would be devastated, and you didn't know-" she paused, taking a gap in her string of sentences. "_aand_… I _may_ have started crying about how torn you would be!"

The raven-haired singer stared at the younger girl, trying to decide whether she was literally insane, or just…well just insane actually."You named my dog Sarge?"

She looked back with a cheeky smile, ignoring his statement.

"Big guys, are suckers for crying. They just don't know how to deal with it! He was putty in my hands! _Mua ha-ha_!" she laughed, gesturing like a villain.

"Are you high? Having you been smoking something? Shooting up?" He questioned grabbing her, "Let me see your pupils!" Alyce burst out laughing, struggling out of his grasp.

"Leeggoooo! Let go! I am not high…but you," she paused for dramatic effect, "you are twenty-five!" she yelled pushing Darren over and jumping up, taking a picture of his surprised face before he had time to move. Then she stopped, her mouth dropping in realization. "Oh My Richter! You are so old!"

Darren rolled his eyes and stood up, running his hands through his black curls, which were springing in every direction. "Says the sixteen year-old. You can't really judge, you're like the youngest person I know!"

Alyce laughed, then calmed herself and pulled him into a hug, "Happy Birthday bro!"

"I ain't cha bro gurlfrand!" he said sassily.

"Oh lord, that can't happen again, you can't do sass at _all_!" she protested, pulling away and standing back, surveying the mess that was Darren Criss' bedroom. "Well, my brotha-from-anotha-motha, _you_ need to get up, and go shower! We have big things to do!"

The actor pouted, frowning like a five year-old, "I don't wannnaa!"

"Awww! You don't want to? Well then how about…NO! get on up lazy pants! We've got big things to do today!"

"Come on! It's _my_ birthday, don't I get to decide?"

"Oh Hun, that's sweet, but no, you have absolutely no say in the matter now jog on!" she urged, watching him shuffle slowly into the bathroom.

She waited until she heard the shower turn on, before letting out a sigh, and grabbing a camera case from her bag. Unzipping it, she glanced around the room, searching for a good place to set up.

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><p>"Hey Darren, I know we haven't known each other for long, but in the short time that we have, you have, in effect, changed my life." Alyce confessed, staring into the lens of the small black camera, which was propped precariously on top of a leaning stack of shoeboxes. Peeking out from the bottom was the unmistakable box that belonged to a pair of black Toms. <em>So he's <em>that _kind of guy, eh? _She thought to herself, though she wasn't too surprised. Darren was just hipster like that.

"Don't be modest," she continued, "you know it's true. Two months ago, I was sitting at home, with my future laid out in front of me. It was a practical future, but not one I felt would make me truly happy."

She chuckled, remembering the life that seemed so far away from now, really she was being a little dramatic, but she _was _trying to make a point.

"I finally decided to give that 'unrealistic' dream of acting a try. I had never done any acting…well, none that actually counted, but there I was filling out an application for a Toronto-based acting agency."

Alyce paused when she heard a shuffling through the wall. It was the bathroom, and she heard the distinct sound of a shower being turned off. Stopping the recording, Alyce quickly stood up banging her head on a rail

"Shit!" she cursed reflexively, putting a hand up to feel the already forming bump on her head.

She clumsily unpiled the shoeboxes, opening the doors and stepping out of the small room…

…and straight into a wet, curly-haired boy.

Darren shrieked, nearly falling backwards. And, as Alyce noticed, almost lost his towel.

"Alyce! What are you doing in my closet!" He looked frightened as he tried to catch his breath.

The young Canadian looked back at the closet, and turned back sheepishly. "Oh, nothing, just ahh…" she trailed off, trying to find an excuse that would not include giving away the secret.

Darren looked at her expectantly, his appearance having recovered from being totally shocked.

"Uhh…just, uh…you know, um, trying to, um, find a good outfit…for you…to wear…" she slowed again, hoping he would accept the half-hearted answer.

Darren looked at her strangely for a moment before shrugging and nudging her gently out of the way.

"Well, I think I'm old enough to dress myself, thank you." He said, leafing through his wardrobe of t-shirts and v-necks, adding, "And besides, I won't even be wearing my own clothes all day anyway."

Alyce breathed a silent sigh of relief, quickly stuffing the camera into her cardigan pocket before walking towards the bedroom door. "I'm going to make some coffee," she offered, not looking back. She momentarily paused when she heard the birthday boy mumble a response that sounded something like, "Finally!"

She rolled her eyes and walked down the hall into the small kitchenette, her previous energy drained by the close call in the closet. She switched on the small, dented coffeemaker, shoveling in coffee grounds and filling the tank with tap water. With the machine puffing away, she turned to survey the living room. However small, it definitely wasn't sparse. Two stylish white corner couches sat opposite each other, a modern glass-topped coffee table in between them. It was funny to think of how many nights she had sat, perched on one of the stiff armrests, lending her opinion as to why Canada was ultimately better than the States, or laughing as one of their friends recounted a silly story.

Alyce was shaken from her reverie as the coffeemaker let out a loud beep, and simultaneously Darren stumbled into the living room, taking a seat at the counter and holding his hands out for a cup. Alyce laughed at his obvious fatigue and filled a brown, ceramic mug, pressing it into his large hands. Then, filling one of her own and leaning against the stove, she took in the sleepy-eyed singer, who was deeply inhaling the steam that drifted from his cup.

"Oh, come on!" she said, "You had to get up anyways. You have this little thing called a job to go to."

He huffed, swallowing a third of the scalding coffee, and setting it down. "Yeah yeah, whatever."

Darren pulled up his messenger bag, taking out a small notebook and flipping through it, checking his schedule for the day. "So," he started, "what's the plan for today?"

"Considering all of the work you have to do?" she laughed humorlessly. "I wouldn't count on it being much."

Darren slumped forward in his chair, resting his head in his hands. "I hate work, I hate it!" he grumbled his voice muffled by his rough hands.

Alyce smiled and let out an amused sigh. She knew he was lying. She'd never seen someone so excited to go to work until she met him. It was as if he forgot all his troubles when he walked on set.

"Alright Birthday Boy!" she clapped, straightening up. Darren raised his head curiously, still blinking the sleep out of his eyes. "I'm making you breakfast! Anything you want!" she added, pulling her mousy brown hair into its signature low pony.

Darren perked up a bit, giving her a questioning look. "Anything?" he asked. Alyce looked at him warily, wondering if they had all the ingredients for whatever concoction he was thinking up. His eyes suddenly lit up and he grinned a wide, cheeky grin.

"I know what I want," he started, finishing his coffee. He ran is hands through is raven-coloured hair, and slapped his hands down on the granite island. "I want waffles!" he announced, sitting up in his chair.

Alyce glared at him, her hands on her hips. "Waffles? Seriously?" she remarked, "You want me to make you waffles?"

Darren looked shocked, and his shoulders hunched in the slightest, "Umm, yes?"

The teenager scoffed, "I have made crème brulée for the president of Mount Sinai Hospital! And you want waffles?" she stared at him in disbelief. Darren's face filled with relief, and he peered at her curiously.

"You could have anything! You could have Baked Alaska! And you want waffles? Where is your imagination? What have you done with Darren Criss?" she ranted, then suddenly stopped, her mouth gaping in realization.

"Oh. My. God." She started.

"Tu es une « grande personne »! Oh mon dieu! C'est vrai!" She gasped, holding her hand to her forehead dramatically. Darren raised an eyebrow. He was more or less used to this. Whenever Alyce got particularly flustered, she started spouting off in French. He waited patiently, listening to her vent, though he had no idea what she was saying.

"Le Petit Prince a été raison!" She yelled, before suddenly realizing what she was doing and shutting her mouth quickly.

"So…" she said meekly, "waffles then?"

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><p><strong>Hey Guys! So I added a bit onto this chapter because I felt it was too short, but next chapter is basically a continuation of what's going on right now.<strong>

**I know many people have different views of Darren's characterization, but this is just how I saw it in my head because it worked with the storyline!**

**Next Chapter: **_"Who are you?" he asked, his eyes looking confused. Alyce was sure her face reflected the exact same thing. She attempted to speak but words failed her, so she just returned the look. "Seriously. Are you like royalty or something?"_


	2. Chapter 2: Surprise!

**So I know I said I wanted a certain number of reviews. But then I remembered about when I didn't have an account, so I couldn't review, but I still wanted people to post. So I've decided I will post new chapters on a weekly (or so) basis. However, I really really hope some of you will review because I'm a little like Tinkerbell, I need you guys to believe in me!**

**All that said, enjoy the next chapter of 'A Working Title'! It was hard choosing where to end this chapter but I finally did it (insert proud face here)! Wahoo!**

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><p>"I seriously worry about your sanity sometimes you know." The musician said folding his arms over his chest and resting them on the countertop.<p>

Alyce murmured in agreement, and then turned to the cupboard, "This is what happens when a 16-year old moves to a different country and lives alone. Not to mention I live down the hall from the craziest actor ever!"

"Charlie Sheen?" Darren asked, as he watched Alyce pull various ingredients and tools from the cupboard. She turned around and gave him a _remember-who's-cooking-your-food _look.

Stepping out of the kitchen, Alyce started walking towards the door. Darren saw her and jumped off the stool, running in front of her and putting his hands up, palms forward. "Hey hey, hey, hey , hey!" he cautioned, "I'm sorry, I'm sorry, I was just joking! Honest!"

She laughed, pushing down his hands, "Darren, I'm not mad, I'm going to get my waffle iron. Chill out." He breathed a sigh of relief and stepped aside. "Geez. I don't even like Charlie Sheen." She muttered stepping out of the door.

Alyce left the still slightly scared boy and walked down the hall, taking out her phone when she saw Darren close the door.

"Hello?" a voice asked as she unlocked her door, holding the phone to her ear.

"Hey Chris, its Alyce." She answered, stepping into the small foyer and closing the door behind her.

"Aly! How's it going so far?" Chris queried. She could detect the sound of girls' voices in the background. He was probably in rehearsal, she guessed.

"I've survived so far, but I had a close call in his room. Luckily my superb acting skills got me out of it."

"Let me guess," he began, "he took off his shirt and you started talking about how great work was going to be today? We all know how you get when-"

"One time! Chris, that happened one time! And no, he walked in on me filming in his closet." She said meekly.

Alyce heard the guy sigh through the phone, "And you had to film it in his closet because?" he asked, suggestively.

"Oh my god, new subject already." She snapped, walking into the identical kitchen and pulling the small appliance out of the black, wooden cupboard. "How's everything on your end?"

"It's going good," he answered, pausing to yell at someone in the background. "We've got almost everything set up over here."

"Good," the brunette sighed, "I've just got to cook breakfast, but we should be over soon after."

Alyce nudged the cupboard door shut with her foot. Balancing the phone in between her shoulder and ear, she carried the iron to the door.

"Great, call me when you leave kay?"

"Sure, Chris. I've gotta go, Darren will be getting suspicious." Alyce said, closing the door again behind her and walking slowly down the hall.

"Don't do anything I wouldn't do!" he yelled over cheering in the background.

Alyce laughed, "That leaves a lot of options, bro!" She quickly slid the phone shut, faintly hearing Chris yelling something about not being related.

She reached the boys door, letting herself in. Darren pounced, grabbing the waffle iron out of her hands and running to the kitchen.

"What took you so long? I'm hungrryyyy!" he whined, plugging the iron into the wall.

Alyce shrugged, "Couldn't remember which cupboard it was in." She walked over to where Darren stood, grabbing a bowl and beginning to mix together the components she had previously laid out. Darren returned to his place at the island with another full cup of coffee.

As Alyce prepared the birthday breakfast, she listened attentively to Darren while he recounted his past birthdays, laughing especially hard at a retelling of Darren's own sixteenth birthday. All of his parties tended to involve shenanigans of some crazy kind put on by his friends.

Aly, as her friends called her, surveyed her outfit as she waited for the waffles to cook. Luckily she hadn't gotten any flour on it. She had spent way too long at way too early an hour putting together a nice outfit for the occasion. She wore a nice blue, retro style dress, with tiny white polka-dots and cap sleeves. It buttoned down to the waist and ended in a bow with white trimming that matched the rounded collar. On her feet she wore low, white heels. They were a vintage pair that used to be her mother's.

Just then, the waffle iron beeped and pulled Alyce's focus to the golden waffles inside. She lifted out the Belgian waffle and put it on a plate, before topping it with cut strawberries, a dusting of icing sugar, and a drizzle of chocolate sauce. As for the whipped cream, well she just gave Darren the can to use himself. She knew full well that it would most likely be empty when he was done.

"Dig in birthday boy." She said, putting the plate down in front of him and ruffling his curly hair before turning to clean up the counter.

"Aren't you having some?" He asked, not looking up from his plate which was already buried in half a can of whipped cream.

She shook her head, placing the remaining batter in a mason jar. "I ate at my place, it was more efficient."

"When did you get up this morning?" he asked, breaking his concentration on the plate in front of him to look at her with a mildly concerned expression.

"Who says I ever went to sleep?" she chuckled, waggling her eyebrows at Darren, who just shook his head and continued.

Five minutes later, Alyce had finished cleaning, and Darren had finished eating. He reached round her to place his plate in the dishwasher. She refilled both of their mugs and brought them over to the coffee table, before walking over to her bag and rummaging through it.

"Whatcha doin'?" he asked, sauntering happily over to the couches and plopping down on one.

"Getting your present silly!" she said as she pulled a rather thick envelope from her bag.

Darren looked surprised, "You got me a present?"

"You're kidding right?" After seeing him slowly shake his head she added, "Of course I did. What kind of friend would I be if I didn't?"

She didn't let him answer. Instead she handed him the envelope and gestured for him to open it. He did as she wanted and pulled out three things; a letter, a certificate of some sort, and a card.

He opened the card first, chuckling at the ironic photo of Blaine, holding up a bouquet of red and yellow roses. A few 'mmm's and 'ahh's were heard as he read the message inside, smirking at the inside jokes. Darren looked up to smile at Alyce, who smiled back, motioning excitedly for him to open the next paper.

He chose the certificate, and read it over before looking in disbelief at his friend, "What?"

Alyce grinned wickedly, "It is a certificate," she said, pausing for dramatic effect, "declaring you as the proud owner of the Gryffindor Common Room," Alyce was beaming at this point, proud of herself.

"I-I get that…but how? This can't be real!" he said, reading over the page again.

"Oh, it's very real. I sent a little email to one J.K. Rowling-she knows of you by the way- and requested a, let's call it a favor."

Darren was positively speechless, staring at Alyce like she had just announced she was going to become a stripper.

She took this as a sign to elaborate, "She was very nice, and was impressed by my idea to sell deeds to Hogwarts. So impressed actually, that she donated it for free, AND donated the next gift."

"There's more?" he asked, his mouth hanging open.

Alyce just smiled, "Yes. Though it's not technically a gift, really."

Darren rolled his eyes and unfolded the letter, giving Alyce a wary look before reading it. He didn't finish it this time. He read three sentences and then just stopped.

"What? You don't like it? Really I was so sure-" she got cut off when the boy held up his hand, still not saying anything.

Alyce looked at him strangely, wondering why he had stopped. In her eyes it was a great gift, amazing even. Maybe she didn't know him as well as she thought she did.

"Who are you?" he asked, his eyes looking confused. Alyce was sure her face reflected the exact same thing. She attempted to speak but words failed her, so she just returned the look. "Seriously. Are you like royalty or something? I know your parents are British but you never said they were famous! Are you blackmailing her or something?...How did _you _get _J.K. Rowling, _the queen of fantasy novels, to write me a birthday letter?"

Then she understood, she had to keep herself from laughing. He thought only someone with a certain power could get something like this from someone so famous. Darren was still staring at her so she smiled.

"Oh Darren, you underestimate me. Last year, as head of my school's annual Silent Auction committee, I raised over $3'000 for charity. I can get any_thing _from any_one! _I got earrings signed by Nina Ricci, getting that letter, as hard as I wish I could say it was, was a piece of cake."

Darren just stared, it didn't look like he was going to be able to talk anytime soon. Amazingly she was almost sure this was the first time she had seen the guy at a loss for words. He always had an answer for everything. The twenty-five year old seemed to wake from whatever state he was in, and read through the rest of the letter.

"I-you-this," he sputtered, then took a deep breath and looked up at Alyce. "This may be…the best gift, anyone has ever given me…"

Alyce let out a breath, "Oh good. I was worried the fact that I didn't really spend any money on it would be a problem." She didn't know how things worked here, where these people had tons of money to spend on gifts.

Darren shook his head, "God, no. This is..uh-it's over the top, it's insane, this is actually priceless."

Alyce smiled, it had actually been pretty easy to figure out what to get him. He was always talking about how he wished he lived in the Gryffindor dormitory, she figured literally owning the Common Room was as close as he was going to get.

"Oh!" she gasped, checking her watch. "We have to go, now!"

They both jumped up and dropped their mugs in the dishwasher before grapping their bags and dashing out the door, barely remembering to lock it behind them.

Darren hurried down the stairs to the parking garage while Alyce walked outside and waited, taking the time to send a quick text to Chris, telling him they were on their way.

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><p><em>Be there soon, just leaving now. –A<em>

Chris shoved the phone back in his pocket before turning to face the others.

"Alright guys! Let's get this show on the road! The Warbler is singing, I repeat the Warbler is singing!"

All of a sudden the once-quiet room burst into a flurry of activity, cast and crew running about.

"Chris!" a girl yelled from across the room, running over. "Where should we put the banner?"

"Hang it from the basketball net to the top of the bleachers, Lea. And use extra tape!" he ordered, motioning to the corner of the room. Then, he looked over to where two men were standing at the entrance to the room talking. They gave him a questioning look, to which he responded with a thumbs up. He hoped this went well, considering how much work he and Alyce had put into planning it.

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><p>"No offense, Al, but why are you coming in today? You don't have anything to do." Darren asked, trying not to sound mean.<p>

Alyce just shrugged, "Well, I'm going to be doing homework all day anyways, and I'd rather do it here than alone in my apartment. Besides, I know Ryan, Ian, and Brad are still working on figuring out my next appearance, but they might want me to read something."

Darren accepted this and they began to walk towards the main building, Alyce snuck out her phone, staying a few paces behind the actor, and typed off a quick message.

_The Warbler is approaching the nest. –A_

Almost immediately, Darren's own phone chimed. He looked at it, and then turned to Alyce, looking confused.

"It's Chris, he says Zach wants us on the gym set." He said, his amber eyes returning to his phone.

"I thought you had dance rehearsal this morning?" she said, trying to sound confused as well.

"Yeah," he replied, "I was supposed to. He's saying Zach just had an idea for the scene we're choreographing and he wants to see how the moves work in there."

They turned and dropped their bags off at Darren's trailer. They were quiet for a moment while Darren sent a text to Chris saying they would be right over.

"Isn't the scene supposed to be on the field?" Alyce asked speaking up.

"Yeah, but I suppose it'll work inside."

Alyce shrugged and continued walking. So far so good, she thought. If this messed up, things would get very awkward, very fast.

Reaching the set door, Alyce took a deep breath, hoping everyone inside was ready.

Darren turned the handle, Alyce waiting anxiously behind him. 3… he pushed open the door… 2… he stepped in…1… the lights turned on…

0.

"SURPRISE!"


	3. Chapter 3: An Awkward Position

**Hey Guys!**

**SO here is Chapter 3! I hope you enjoy the loveliness that I like to call 'Calyce' (Chris and Alyce)! At least until I find a better name! I swear, those two would be dating if Chris was straight and Aly wasn't hopelessly in love with Darren! ;)**

**bremela: Aww! Thank you so much! I dedicate this chapter to you! You can even have a slice of Darren's birthday cake, shh I won't tell him!**

**Without further ado, get fit and have fun! (haha bodybreak punss) Enjoy the chapter and don't forget to rate and review! I love hearing from you!**

**Much love,**

**Jen**

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><p>Darren jumped in surprise, letting out a small yelp. Alyce walked forward, unable to contain the bright smile that pulled at her lips. She clapped her hands on his shoulders and turned to face him.<p>

"Happy Birthday D!" she said, ecstatic as the success.

Then came an onslaught of people, yelling happy birthday and reaching out to hug, or just touch, the birthday boy.

Said boy, burst into an infectious grin, looking around at all of his friends and cast mates, and even a lot of the crew. If Darren was quiet at the apartment, now he was mute. Tears glistened in his green-gold eyes as he took in the sights.

After about ten minutes of greetings, Darren finding his voice after the first five, everybody backed off and Alyce and Chris stepped forward. The singer laughed at Darren's still shocked expression and turned to Alyce.

"I think we can call this a success." He stage-whispered.

Alyce laughed as well, replying, "Definitely!"

"Seriously."

The two planners turned, surprised at Darren's words, or word.

"What happened while I was sleeping?" he asked, still smiling.

At this everyone laughed, chattering happily to one another. Alyce grabbed Darren's arm and pulled him forward, Chris skipping lightly along with them. She hadn't noticed how utterly appropriate his outfit was. He wore a black thermal, sleeves pushed up to his elbows, and a black waistcoat. His black skinny jeans reflected a small sparkle detail on the coat. It all made him look a bit like a magician, and the way he was leading them, it was like he was showing them his greatest trick.

"Where are you lunatics taking me?" Darren laughed as people parted for them.

"Silly Darren," Chris began.

"No birthday is complete," Alyce followed.

They joined together, stopping and blocking Darren from seeing what was in front of him. They grinned mischievously at each other and turned once again to the bright-eyed musician.

"Without a cake!" they said together, separating to reveal a large white cake with colorful decorations that ranged from a purple blown-sugar bowtie, to a bright yellow warbler made of fondant.

Everybody turned to look at the boy's reaction, which was slightly sad.

Alyce frowned, "Is everything alright, Dare?"

"Yeah," he said, looking down, "I'm just waiting for you guys to tell me to move aside and get out of the way so the much cooler person who this awesome bash is for can see."

Alyce laughed, intensely relieved, and everyone joined in.

"Sorry, but there _is _no one cooler!" she replied, as the crowd died down.

"Um yes there are!" he protested, gesturing around him, "and they are all in this room!"

Darren broke into a smile, holding up his hand to quiet his friends, "Seriously guys, this is probably the best birthday I've ever had, I don't even know what to say."

Chris sighed and joined hands with Alyce, "Don't say anything, just revel in the awesomeness that is this surprise party."

Alyce laughed, nodding in agreement. Lea broke ranks with the others and came forward, beaming, "And though it's Darren's party, we must congratulate Chris and Alyce, without whom we'd be celebrating in his trailer with a box of doughnuts!"

Everybody cheered, Darren joining in to thank the two conspirators, who blushed in mild embarrassment, waving away the compliments and thanks. After a moment Chris successfully calmed the group and hollered, "Alright! Now let's enjoy this party before we have to get back to work!"

Everybody separated, talking in groups, some coming up to wish Darren happy birthday again. He just smiled politely, the happiness nearly spilling out of his eyes and running down his cheeks. He motioned for Chris and Alyce and Chris to follow him outside, which they did, giving each other curious glances.

Once outside, Darren turned to them, smiling again, but this time it was different. It was a calm smile.

"Aly, Chris. You didn't have to do any of this," he began, raising his hand again when Aly tried to interrupt. "But you did, and I honestly can't thank you enough. You have both made my time here unforgettable and that's it. I will never forget this. I just feel bad for Cory." He laughed when they looked at him with questioning expressions. "It's his birthday next and I don't know how anybody's going to top that.

Alyce laughed. They would cross that bridge when they came to it. Cory deserved an amazing birthday but this one was special, it was Darren.

* * *

><p>"When I emailed you, you didn't have to reply, in fact I'm sure your life would be a lot easier if you hadn't, but you did. I still remember what you told me; don't be afraid to show them who you are, because that's what will set you apart from everyone else." Alyce smiled, remembering the excitement of opening that first email.<p>

"I still slightly believe you stole that from some wise author, but still, it resonated with me. Following your career; as a fan, as a friend, has shown me just how hard-working you are. Always doing your best to please others. It's time you got a break from that. This is what today is about. Showing you just how much you've touched our lives, and how much we owe our constant happiness to you."

Alyce sighed, pausing in her speech and glancing around the empty recording studio she was hiding in. So many words came to mind when she described Darren; caring, selfless, hilarious, thoughtful, generally happy. She knew she could never truly thank him enough for all he had done, but she hope this video would communicate just how much it meant to her.

"Now I'm sure you're getting fully embarrassed at all of these compliments, so we'll move on. I believe it's quite obvious now that I'm not the only one that thinks this, but everybody has their own story,… so I'll just let them tell you themselves." Alyce smiled once more before turning the camera off and replacing it in the black case, sitting on the music stand in the booth. She sighed happily and just sat there for a while, reflecting on what she had said.

Chris popped his head in the door, smirking when he saw Alyce staring off into space. "All finished?" he asked, suddenly shaking her from her thoughts.

"Yep." She replied, hopping off the stool, "Your turn."

She handed him the bag, walking to the door. He turned and walked towards the booth. Pausing momentarily, he turned back and saw her staring after him, "Go Al, he's going to notice you're missing, and you both have work to do. I'll make sure everyone does their piece, and then I'll drop the camera off at Editing.

Alyce relented, nodding a short thank you to Chris. She slipped from the room, suddenly exhausted, and walked across the lot to Darren's unoccupied trailer.

* * *

><p>Darren walked over to his gym bag, grabbing a bottle of water and taking a long gulp.<p>

"Alright guys, you can take a break. We'll reconvene in 5." Zach shouted, and everyone sighed gratefully.

Grant walked over and leaned against the wall, fanning his face with his hand. "Quite a party that was this morning, huh?" he said, drinking from his own bottle.

"Yeah," Darren replied. He was right, the party had been great while it lasted. He was still partially in shock. He hadn't been expecting much, but what Chris and Alyce had planned, totally blew his mind.

"What do you think they'll do next?" Grant asked, sitting down on the dance studio floor next to Darren.

"What do you mean, next? Wasn't that it?" he said, confused. There couldn't possibly be _more. _After the present and the party, it couldn't get any better.

"Well you must be having some sort of birthday dinner after work, right?"

Darren thought for a minute, "Well yeah, but I'm planning it. I told Alyce it was just going to be a small thing at this restaurant we go to a lot."

Grant laughed pitifully, "So you're telling me, the girl who planned your _surprise _party _and_ snuck into your apartment this morning, knows where your birthday dinner is going to be? And you seriously think nothing's going to happen? I wouldn't be surprised if you showed up and Daniel Radcliffe himself was there."

Darren paled, they had already done so much, he couldn't possibly let them do anymore. Besides, after a day like today, all he wanted was a low-key get-together with a couple friends. But he couldn't just tell Aly to butt out, she'd be crushed. And he definitely wouldn't want to work with Chris after ruining his plans.

"Darren? You okay there bud?" Grant asked, raising his eyebrows at the anxious-looking actor.

"Yeah, yeah, fine. Hey! Do you think you can find out from Naya if they're planning anything?" he requested. The Warbler shook his head, standing up and dropping his water bottle in his bag.

"And ruin the surprise? Alyce would literally castrate me. But hey, I will discourage anything crazy, and I'll let you known if you'll need a tux."

Darren sighed, this birthday may be the best he's had, but it was also going to be the most complicated.

"Alright guys! Get over here; we're going from the top again!" Zach yelled, and life resumed.

* * *

><p>"Al?"<p>

"Mmhhfuutt?"

"That is a very awkward position, it would be terrible if someone with a camera were to come along an-"

"No!" she yelled, quickly sitting up on the small couch and glaring at Chris, who had found his way into the trailer and was currently laughing at her.

"I come bearing gifts," he announced, presenting her with a takeout carton. She grabbed at it and opened it to reveal Sweet and Sour Chicken and Beef Fried Rice.

"Alright, you can stay." she said, still eyeing him warily. He just chuckled and pushed her over, sitting down beside her on the couch, which was really more like a loveseat, how she had managed to fit on it escaped him. "How did you find me anyways?"

"Well you weren't in the recording studio, and you weren't on the library set. This was the most likely place you would have been otherwise, especially seeing how tired you looked this morning. I figured you wouldn't be doing homework."

Alyce groaned, leaning her head on Chris' shoulder. "I'm sooo tired. I woke up at like five am this morning." She whined. Chris placed his arm around her shoulder and rubbed her arm.

"I know hun, I know. The things we do for our friends. I'm just glad tonight is going to be simple."

"Mmm," Alyce agreed, drifting off. "Has's mit goin?"

"Fine, fine. Jenna and Harry are doing theirs now. Then Kevin and Heather and we're done."

"Done?" she asked, snuggling closer to the older boy.

Chris nodded, "Yep, then you can relax. You should eat first though, then you can sleep."

Alyce sat up, pouting at Chris, "Who are you, my brother?" she said, smoothing down her hair.

Chris chuckled, "Yes, I am! I'm like your big brother, and I'm telling you what to do."

Alyce sighed, "No. My real big brother is in Montreal."

"Do you miss him?"

Alyce nodded, suddenly looking a lot younger than she usually did. It was now that Chris realized just how young she was, and how much of a toll this must be taking on her.

"What's he like?" he prompted. Alyce smiled, crossing her legs and opening the carton of food.

"He's great," Alyce smiled, thinking of all the memories. "He's funny, even when I'm sure he's insulting me, I can't help but laugh." She laughed; Chris smiled at her happiness and nodded.

"But he's also smart, and very responsible. He's the one person who, when I just want to yell at everyone, he can make me see reason. It's like when he tells me to do something, there's no judgment. My dad's great but, and I know this sounds cliché, sometimes I feel like no one really understands me. If anyone comes close, it's David. He just knows what it's like, I guess."

"You must miss him a lot." Chris guessed. Alyce looked down, sighing.

"I do, I miss everyone back home. Some more than others of course." She added.

Chris looked pensive, "He's at university right?" Alyce nodded and he continued, "When was the last time you saw him?"

Alyce thought for a second, "The end of August, when he went back to school. I missed Thanksgiving." She sighed heavily, "I missed Thanksgiving. I've never missed Thanksgiving before."

"Thanksgiving isn't for another two weeks, Al, you still have time."

Alyce smiled sadly, shaking her head, "You're forgetting that in Canada, Thanksgiving is on the second Monday of October. So I have missed it, and now I'm going to miss Christmas too. Who's going to cook my Christmas dinner?" Alyce sank down on the couch, resting her legs on top of Chris'.

"Well we'll just have to plan a fantastic Christmas, just like we planned a fantastic birthday."

At the last word Alyce winced, and sank further down, her eyes glistening.

"Hey," Chris said, looking concerned, "What's wrong?"

Alyce sniffled, tears started to fall, and she sat up, hugging her legs close to her chest. Chris turned towards her, putting a hand on her knee.

"Tell me, Al."

Sniffling again, Aly pulled up her head, "Birthday. My birthday. Is next week, and I forgot. I forgot my own birthday."

"You're turning seventeen already?"

"No," she said, "I'm turning sixteen." Alyce wiped her eyes and glanced at Chris, who looked confused.

"But you always say you're sixteen." He questioned.

Alyce just shrugged, "I have a late birthday, and my friends are always a year older before I am. I guess I've just gotten used to pretending we're actually the same age."

"You're having your Sweet Sixteen in a few days, how did you forget that?"

Alyce shook her head, "Sweet Sixteen's aren't really a big thing back home. It's just a normal birthday really. Our big ones don't come 'til we're eighteen and nineteen."

Chris frowned, "Eighteen _and _nineteen? Isn't that a bit excessive?"

Alyce laughed, but it came out choked and she sniffled again. "You're forgetting that the drinking age in Canada is 19, not 21."

"Ahh, you guys think of everything, don't you."

She laughed a real laugh this time, wiping her eyes and sitting back. "Yeah, we're pretty awesome," the not-so-sixteen-year old sighed and pulled up her bag. "Homework time for me. Don't you have work or something?"

Chris looked at his watch, "Yes actually, I need to head to Wardrobe." He said stood up and looked back down at Alyce, who was cracking open a Physics textbook. "Call me if you need me, kay?"

Alyce nodded and shooed him a way with her free hand, the other writing the date in a notebook. Chris turned and walked out the door, leaving Alyce to her pile of homework.


	4. Chapter 4: Meet The Andersons

**Hey Guys!**

**Not much to say right now, just insanely pissed that Glee isn't on tonight because of the State of the Union! Why can't they just play it in Canada ton ight and wait til next week to play it in the US? Pooh you States. **

**I was really excited to show you this chapter because it goes back a bit to when I first thought of this idea. I'm going to be revisiting the beginning of this Alyce/Glee relationship a lot through flashbacks in the next few chapters. The reason is because I didn't want to start the story with how they met, even though that's actually where it started in my head. Basicall the flashbacks will show different moments in the early days and the first time they met, so stay tuned for that awesomeness!**

**Anywaysss, I really hope you like this next chapter and please please please reviewww! **

* * *

><p>Alyce looked up when she heard the door to the small trailer open. Darren walked in and ran his fingers through his gelled hair, breaking up the substance and letting free a couple curls.<p>

"Isn't Dallas going to be mad if you ruin your hair?"

Darren turned quickly, looking frightened before he saw who it was and relaxing. "Nope, I'm done with my scenes today, I just have to go record a few songs for next week, and go to a fitting." He said, opening the silver mini-fridge that was under the counter and pulling out a new bottle of water.

"Sounds like fun." Alyce commented, glancing longingly at the door.

Darren chuckled, looking upon the countless books littered over the coffee table and floor. "Speaking of work," he said, crossing his arms and leaning over to look at the notebook in her lap. "How is your's going?"

The girl laughed bitterly and leaned her head on her hand. "Slowly, I feel like I've been in here for hours!"

"You have," Darren replied, looking at the clock, "What are you working on?"

"Oh nothing. Just doing some genetics problems. You know, if you cross a homologous black-coloured guinea pig with a heterozygous white guinea pig, what will the F1 look like?" she looked up at him, studying his face, he was obviously confused.

"You don't know, do you?" she laughed when he shook his head.

He rolled his eyes, grabbing her Math notebook and flipping through it, his expression becoming more and more frustrated. This made Alyce laugh even harder. Darren heard this and glared at her. "Whatever. I went to high school a _long _time ago."

Alyce folded her arms over her chest, mimicking Darren's expression, "You're not _that _old." She protested.

Darren softened, chuckling at her bluntness, "Still too old to date you…kid." he added, and she frowned.

"A girl can dream right?" she replied sassily, "And don't call me kid! Lord knows I'm often more mature than you are!...old man."

"You're Agnostic, are you even allowed to say Lord?" he asked, raising an eyebrow. Aly rolled her eyes, "We Agnostics can say whatever we want, we just don't mean it the same way. Aren't you Agnostic?"

"I prefer the term spiritual." Darren remarked, and Alyce rolled her eyes, something that seemed to happen a lot more around him (though it already happened a lot anyways). He fell lazily onto the couch, sending papers flying, and causing Alyce to glare at him again. Darren raised his hands in surrender and began picking up the various handouts, piling them neatly on the table. Alyce looked at him pleadingly.

"Can I come with you? I promise I won't bug you or anything!" she begged, gazing sadly at him.

Darren tried to resist, he needed to focus in the booth if he wanted to get his work done fast, but the girl looked so miserable in the small trailer.

"Fine," he caved. Alyce jumped up excitedly, throwing her books down on the table. "But, if you start interrupting, you're out!"

She nodded quickly, grabbing her phone and cardigan and running to the door. Running wasn't really necessary though, seeing as the door was four feet away from them.

In the studio, Alyce sat, humming along to the backing track as Darren sang in the booth. There was no reason for Darren not to have brought her. John, the producer, loved her, as was evident by the numerous glances in her direction to see if she liked how it was going. She did, by the way, the writers always found the perfect songs for each character.

In her first episode, the song they picked for her character to sing, perfectly encompassed the mood of the scene.

_*FLASHBACK*_

"Okay, are you ready?" Darren asked her, looking completely different in his Blaine costume, his black curls slicked down with gel.

Alyce nodded, "Now or never, right?" she said. She was terribly nervous, it being her first scene ever. Everybody kept telling her she would be great, referencing the rehearsals they had all witnessed. She just didn't know, I mean this was _Glee,_ not some high-school English project. This wasn't something she could just mess up and get a bad grade on, this was real.

Darren walked to his starting point, just outside the doors to the large café that Alyce would be performing in. She walked over to her own starting point by the piano. Two women, who she recognized from Hair and Makeup, rushed up and gave her a touch-up before running back off-screen. Ryan gave her a questioning look, which she returned with a thumbs up. She only hoped she wouldn't screw this up.

"Quiet on set!" the director yelled, and the room was silent. Alyce was sure her heartbeat was audible, for it was all that she could hear. The crew hid in an alcove where a camera was stationed, the second camera was behind the door watching Darren and Chris.

"And… action!" he yelled, Alyce stilled, transforming her face into an easy grin and silently chatting with a 'patron' at one of the tables. The double doors opened and in walked Blaine and Kurt, hand in hand.

She wasn't herself anymore, she was Alyce Anderson, Blaine's younger sister, visiting from their parent's house in Westerville. Blaine was living with their uncle, who had an apartment in Lima. As the new Alyce, she beamed, excused herself politely from the small talk, and bounded over to her brother.

"Blainers!" she yelled, hugging Darren, who pulled his hand out of 'Kurt's' and returned it.

"Hey, Aly. It's good to see you!" They pulled away, Alyce taking in Blaine's appearance and frowning at his hair. She turned to Chris, "You. You're the boyfriend?"

Chris nodded slowly, his character wondering just how accepting she was of Blaine.

Aly shook her head as Blaine watched in silent horror. "So you just let him go on like this? The idea of being together is that you have influence on each other. That means you can _make _him stop gelling his hair! He looks like he just walked out of Dalton."

"Kurt," Blaine began sighing, "meet my sister, Alyce. Alyce," he continued, glaring at her in a way that almost made Aly forget she was supposed to be in character. "Stop harassing my boyfriend."

Alyce took a breath, shaking off the warning. "Alright, alright, It's nice to finally meet you, Kurt. Blaine _never _ stops talking about you." Darren gave her a warning look, which she promptly ignored, continuing, "You'd swear he'd never seen a gay guy before!"

Kurt blushed, and Blaine just glared, "Right, now I remember why I don't visit more often."

Alyce rolled her eyes, "Oh come on, Blaine, you've never had a boyfriend before! I have a right to embarrass you. Now enough talking! It's time for the Donny and Marie reunion!"

Kurt looked confused, turning to Blaine, "What is she talking about?"

"She likes to think of us as the Osmonds, because we're a brother and sister act. We used to perform together a lot." Darren said, as Alyce playfully dragged him to the stage. Kurt looked as if he knew Blaine was just faking reluctance. Alyce walked over to the sound guy and whispered in his ear, before going back to 'Blaine'. She repeated the song title in his ear, and he smiled as they were handed wireless mics. The music began, Darren raising the microphone to his mouth and grinning.

_The sun is shinin' in the sky  
>There ain't a cloud in sight<br>It's stopped rainin' everybody's in a play  
>And don't you know<br>It's a beautiful new day hey,hey_

Chris acted pleasantly surprised as he sat down at one of the tables and watched the performance. Alyce sauntered up to center stage, swaying happily to the beat.

_Runnin' down the avenue  
>See how the sun shines brightly in the city<br>On the streets where once was pity  
>Mister blue sky is living here today hey, hey<em>

Darren and Alyce moved around the stage, both dancing in a similar style. Their eyes met and they smiled, both lending their voices to the chorus.

_Mister blue sky, please tell us why  
>You had to hide away for so long (so long)<br>Where did we go wrong?_

_ Mister blue sky, please tell us why  
>You had to hide away for so long (so long)<br>Where did we go wrong?_

Kurt watched in awe as the brother and sister moved around the stage in practiced ease. Alyce kept singing, surprised that the director hadn't cut in to give them some advice. As the chorus ended and a musical interlude began, Alyce and Darren joined hands and started dancing a sort of swing-type dance. The audience cheered, enjoying the performance.

_Hey you with the pretty face  
>Welcome to the human race<br>A celebration, mister blue sky's up there waitin'  
>And today is the day we've waited for<em>

Blaine sang the verse, looking directly at Kurt as he sang the first line. The boy blushed, smiling embarrassedly. Alyce came forward again, and they sang the chorus together, Kurt was marveling at their expressions, which seemed to mirror each other. They looked excited, as if they had just heard a song they hadn't listened to in a while.

_Mister blue sky, please tell us why  
>You had to hide away for so long (so long)<br>Where did we go wrong?_

_Hey there mister blue  
>We're so pleased to be with you<br>Look around see what you do  
>Everybody smiles at you<em>

Alyce quickly ran to the side, and grabbed a funny looking mic from the sound guy. She ran back to the center. Kurt couldn't miss Blaine's ecstatic expression, like he was anticipating something major.

_Mister blue sky, mister blue sky  
>Mister blue sky<em>

Alyce's voice emanated from the speakers (which weren't actually making any noise, and she wasn't actually being recorded) only it wasn't her voice, it was more robotic, being channeled through different filters that altered the pitch and intensity.

_Mister blue, you did it right  
>But soon comes mister night, creepin' over<br>Now his hand is on your shoulder  
>Never mind, I'll remember you this<br>I'll remember you this way_

Alyce and Darren sang the last chorus together, their faces darkening a bit as they seemed to realize that the song was ending.

_Mister blue sky please tell us why  
>You had to hide away for so long<br>Where did we go wrong?_

_Hey there mister blue_  
><em>We're so pleased to be with you<em>  
><em>Look around see what you do<em>  
><em>Everybody smiles at you<em>

_Ba ba ba ba ba ba ba ba ba  
>Ba ba ba ba ba ba ba ba ba ba ba<em>

Alyce made a silly face as she sang the last notes of the song with 'Blaine' and as the drum rolled, both of the singers came to the front of the stage and bowed grandly, coming up with identical wide smiles. The crowd cheered and applauded wildly, and the Andersons deserved it, they were amazing. Alyce grabbed Blaine for the second time that day and pulled him off the stage and over to Kurt, who was being mildly ignored as the siblings laughed excitedly at each other, reveling in the fun of the moment.

The cameraman moved in close, and positioned himself smoothly in front of Chris. Alyce and Darren moved away quickly once they were sure they weren't on camera, and looked back to see Kurt deliver the scene's final line.

"Oh my god. There's two of him."


	5. Chapter 5: You Make Me Blush

**Hey Guys!**

**Did any of you see the new Glee music video for "Wanna Be Starting Something"? Did any of you look away awkwardly when Kurt started thrusting on stage? I did, I also tried desperately not to see him in that weird black jumpsuit and fur hat. Love the guy but that look just doesn't work for him. In other related news, Blaine was damn hot in that video! I definitely wanna be starting something with him! Well...with Darren...not Blaine...that would be awkward...and I think Kurt would murder me...**

**Anyvayjjze, I actually had to write this chapter before publishing it, so that was different, which also means I don't just have another chapter in a document to give to you. BUT, I will get one out ASAP! For the meantime I hope you loovvee this one and stay tuned because big stuff is happening in the next chapter, a.k.a it's Darren's Birthday Dinner! Yes that means you finally get to see (or read) the birthday video!**

**SO without further ado, enjoy the chapter and please please please review because that is how I know people are actually reading this!**

**Love forever (or as long as Glee is on air!)**

**JenJen**

* * *

><p>"What's so funny?" asked Darren, walking out of the booth and moving to sit by Alyce<p>

"Uh, nothing?" she replied, confused.

"You just laughed. Are you feeling alright?"

_Ahh, _she thought. She had been thinking about Chris' face at the end of that scene. She didn't realize she had laughed out loud. Well, everybody she knew already though she was clinically insane anyways. "Fine, just laughing at something one of the voices in my head just said. He doesn't like you very much." She joked.

Darren laughed, and then gave her an attitude-filled look, "Well, why don't you tell him… that he can go fu-"

"Ahem!" John cleared his throat loudly, cutting off Darren mid-swear. Alyce laughed at the cuss-block and Darren just smiled cheekily at the producer. "Would you like to hear our final take, or would you prefer to keep up your inane conversation?" Alyce immediately shut her mouth and walked over to the sound board, dramatically batting her eyelashes at John.

"I would _love_ to hear your beautiful work, Johnny!"

Darren had to bite his tongue to keep from laughing, as John blushed and turned back towards the table, mumbling something that sounded like "Twice your age."

The red-faced producer, who strongly resembled a trucker, pushed a couple buttons that Alyce didn't recognize, and Darren's voice flowed through the speakers. His low, sultry tone warmed the room and Alyce closed her eyes, listening to the melody. After a moment, she opened them and saw Darren looking at her, smiling his I'm-too-cool smile. Alyce rolled her eyes and sank back in the chair as the recording played through, only sitting up when the tape scratched and ended.

"Well I see Alyce liked it," John announced, smirking at the starry-eyed girl, "but what about you Darren?"

He chuckled, scratching the back of his neck with his hand."That was great, if I do say so myself. This is definitely a new kind of song for Blaine."

"I think it's the perfect song for Blaine," Alyce commented. "It showcases his lower range and the softer, more sensual side of his voice. It kind of paints this new picture of who Blaine is. You know, not just this supportive, proud guy. But this man who knows what he wants and who isn't afraid to show his vulnerable side."

The two men stared at her, wide-eyed. They couldn't tell whether she was being serious or not.

"Are you messing with us?" Darren was used to her witticisms, but Alyce just sat there, her face genuine. "Geez, you went from giggling schoolgirl to insightful vocalist in like three seconds. How do you do that?"

Alyce giggled, her expression now childlike, "I dunno, I'm just good at feeling for when a situation calls for me to be mature, and when it tells me to be something else." She really didn't know how to explain it, but she was used to having to be respectful in front of adults, and then spouting off sarcastic remarks to her friends. It made her think of the way her friends regarded her. As this girl who was loved by adults for understanding their meanings, yet was seen as this crazy, talkative, sarcastic kid by everyone else.

"You are something, kid." John said, causing Alyce to blush and hide her face behind her hands.

"Alright, alright!" She groaned, "You guys are embarrassing me!"

Darren laughed at her bashfulness, "Only because you make it so easy."

Alyce was about to reply when her phone buzzed. She looked at the screen, and opened the message, reading through it.

_Meet me in Editing. –C_

"Well. I'm going to go somewhere I'm appreciated!" She rose and stalked off, trying to act hurt. She left the two guys laughing behind her and made her way through the building. Stopping in front of a door marked 'Editing', she paused for a moment before knocking and stepping back. The door was opened by a short girl, who Alyce did not recognize. She had cropped black hair and wore tortoiseshell eyeglasses on a beaded lanyard around her neck. The girl was almost immediately replaced by a beaming Chris. He pulled Alyce into the large, dark room and sat her in a chair. She looked at her surroundings and her eyes fell upon a large screen that was situated atop a large console and dashboard with more buttons than the soundboard in the studios.

"Alyce Hainsley! Are you ready for the most awesome birthday video of your life?" Chris asked, gesturing grandly to the screen.

Alyce's face lit up, excitement played across her features. "It's done?" she squealed, bouncing up and down in her chair.

Chris took her hands in his and grinned like a kid on Christmas. "Oh, it's done! And it is amazing!" he draped himself across a chair, looking at her with an anxious expression. The girl from the door stood awkwardly by the dashboard, watching Chris. He noticed this and stood quickly, walking over to her. "I almost forgot! This," he gestured to the girl, "is Andrea. She is our genius editor for this video."

Enlightened, Alyce smiled at her. Chris whispered in her ear and she grinned before picking up a remote control. "So basically I just put all of your clips together and broke them up with that other video you did. I added background music and titles too, nothing major." Andrea said, adjusting her glasses.

Alyce looked, confused, at Chris. "What other video?"

Chris smiled mischievously, "Oh just a little thing me and the others did."

They did something without her? Alyce tried to hide the hurt expression on her face, but Chris saw through it. He came over and knelt down in front of her, laying his pale, slender hands on her knees. He gave her a reassuring look. "Don't look so sad, Al." She looked him in the eyes, trying to read his thoughts, to no avail. "You've done so much already. And besides," he added, "this is kind of also a present for you."

Now Alyce was even more confused. She was relieved that they didn't exclude her for other reasons, but she didn't understand why they needed to give her a present. It wasn't that they had already had already given her the gift of letting her into their world (Though they had). It was that she hadn't done anything to deserve a gift. If Chris had tried to put together something for her own birthday, he would have done it next week. She was distracted by the thought that no one knew her birthday was then, and she wondered if Chris had told Darren, or if he expected her to.

"Okay." She said, figuring that she'd find out the reason for it after seeing the video.

Chris looked to Andrea and she nodded, turning to the screen and pressing the button. After the video finished playing, Alyce tapped Chris' shoulder. "I thought you said that the other video was going to be included?"

"It is," Chris said, which only further baffled Alyce. When he saw her expression he gave a small chuckle and turned his body back to face her. "You didn't seriously think we were actually going to show you that part yet, did you?" Alyce groaned in response. First they were surprising Darren, and now her? She'd had enough surprises for a lifetime, not that they had actually happened to her, but planning them was stressful! "Oh, come on!" he declared, "Darren has had to deal with three surprises today, _and _he has another one tonight! I think you can deal with one."

"Alright, I suppose I'll survive. But you better not embarrass me!"

Chris just gave her an innocent look, "I can't promise anything."

* * *

><p>It had been four hours since Darren and Alyce had been in his trailer, and they found themselves in the same situation. Only, they had switched roles.<p>

"How on earth are you supposed to make a program that draws Pascal's Triangle?"

Alyce jumped, nearly whacking Darren with her bag. Glaring, she calmed herself and set her bag down beside the guy. Who was frowning at her computer screen.

"Why, exactly, are you on my computer?" she asked. He shrugged, not looking up from the screen.

"I dunno. Bored, I guess." Alyce huffed and plopped down beside him on the couch. "You didn't answer my question."

"I dunno," she sighed, not realizing that she was imitating Darren. "It's complicated. You have to write a lot of methods and loops. I'm still not sure how I'm going to do it." Darren turned his head to her and she blushed. She didn't know why but she felt weird talking about mundane schoolwork with an adult. "Why are you asking? No offense, but you wouldn't understand if I could explain it."

Darren just shrugged, "I like to see what they teach you kids these days."

Alyce chuckled, she must make him feel so old. Sometimes she forgot that he had already gone through high school _and _university. It didn't help that the character he played on T.V. was her age. Darren cleared his throat and shut the computer, staring at his knees in the awkward silence. Sensing movement in his periferals, he looked up and saw Alyce doing the 'Awkward Turtle' at him. Darren burst out laughing, the awkwardness dissipating like morning fog. "Well!" he exclaimed, standing up and pulling Alyce up with him. "_I _am all done for the day, so _we _get to go home!"

"Finally!" Alyce had been stuck in the trailer for way too long. She really needed to get her license, especially if she was going to be here for a while. Darren resisted the urge to roll his eyes as they picked up their bags and shrugged on their jackets. They walked out the door and nearly collided with Jenna Ushkowitz.

"Ah! Oh, hey guys!" She waved, backing down the steps to let them by. As they began walking to the lot, Amber joined them. "So what time should we be there tonight?"

"Eight pm," Alyce answered for Darren. She pulled out her phone and sent a reminder text to everyone, bar the two girls she was walking with.

Darren was forgotten as the girls chatted about dress code and acceptable meal options. Grant hadn't mentioned anything about crazy surprises so he figured he could relax, if Chris and Alyce were planning anything it wasn't going to be big.

The group reached Darren's battered F-150 and just as Alyce was getting in the cab, Chris ran over and slipped her a package. She quickly slid it in her bag, but not before Darren saw it.

"What's that?" he asked curiously.

"Nothing!" Chris said quickly before Alyce could answer. "Just a soundtrack I put together for something Alyce is writing, you know, inspiration and stuff. It's a writer thing." He blurted, shutting her door and leaning in the open window. "Remember, you don't get to _listen _to it before you start _writing, _Alyce." What he said was full of meaning, but Darren didn't know that he had actually given her the DVD, and warned her against watching it before the party. He just nodded and started up the truck. Everybody backed away and Darren slowly backed out of the space. Chris gave Alyce a meaningful look and a brief wave, and they were gone.


	6. Chapter 6: From The Heart

**Hey Guys!**

**Don't hate me for taking so long! I'm making it up to you by bringing you the longest chapter I've ever done! I've been tres tres busy the lst few weeks and I've been writing it when I've gotten small breaks. I'm reall excited for this one and I'm going to start writing the next one right away but first I have a proposal. I know you have all obviously heard of drabbles, and I was thinking, as little pieces for when writing is taking me a long time, I can post sort of drabbles to keep you guys occupied. I have a couple really short ones just lying around and theyre begging for me to show them to you. SO I think what I', going to do, is post one after this chapter and you tell me what you think. If you don't like it tell me and I can just stop doing it so please please please review and tell me what you think! I need your inspiration to keep writing!**

**Enjoy!**

* * *

><p>Alyce hummed as she shut off the water and wrapped a towel around her body. She carefully stepped out of the shower and wrapped another towel around her dripping hair. Just as she was wiping the fog off the mirror she froze.<p>

_What was that? _She asked inwardly, turning to the door. It was a sound. A crash, really. She could hear it again, coming from her bedroom. Alyce frantically looked around the room. Someone was in her apartment, and she was locked in the bathroom? She tried to look for something, anything, that she could use as a weapon. Finally her frightened eyes landed on a wooden plunger. She tried in vain to remember the little self-defense training she'd had as she gripped the handle of the plunger and turned to the door. _Drop, chop, whop? Was that it? No, it was chop, bop, clop! No! God dammit! _She was freaking out, her breaths coming in short worried gasps.

A wave of fear washed over her as she turned the knob. She would _not _be the victim. Her mind raced as she slowly opened the door. Plunger poised above her shoulder, she walked out and turned towards the source. She screamed, swinging out it front of her. Vaguely, she saw a figure in front of her duck. She rushed forward but the figure kept dodging her blows.

"Hey! Stop! Hey! No!" The being yelled. She could now make out a dark red…vest? Alyce backed up warily and ceased her swings. "What the hell was that for?"

The answer came in the form of a slap, as Alyce saw the full figure and recognition washed over her. It was Chris. He was standing in the open doors of her closet wearing the aforementioned vest along with a lighter burgundy v-neck with long sleeves, and black skinny jeans. He brought his hand up to his cheek, which was now almost as red as his shirt, and looked at her in shock. Alyce tried to slow her breathing and remembered she was wearing only a towel. _Whatever, _she thought. _He's gay anyways. _"What are you trying to do?" she shrieked, "give me a heart attack?" Chris just sputtered, his hair was mussed from the assault and he subconsciously smoothed it down.

"I- I was just c-coming to see if you were ready." His voice was even more high pitched than usual and he was posed in a defensive stance. He was afraid of her. As soon as she realized this she consciously unhunched her shoulders and closed her eyes, taking deep breaths. She carefully laid down the plunger.

"You scared the shit out of me. I thought you were a serial killer." She exhaled, forcefully pushing away her previous fears. "Why are you in my closet?"

Seeing her relax caused Chris to take a wary step forward. One of his hands was still rubbing his pink-stained cheek. "I heard you in the shower and you didn't have an outfit on your bed, so I thought I might try and find one for you. I didn't think I would get slapped for it."

Alyce's face scrunched up in guilt. "I'm sorry about that, it was a split-second response. You might be surprised, but I'm not used to finding strange men in my closet."

Chris' face relaxed into a close-mouthed smile. He walked forward and placed his hand gently on her shoulder. She smiled gratefully and let out a long breath. He chuckled and gently pushed Alyce towards the bed, motioning for her to sit down. When she did he stepped back, and walked to his previous place by the closet.

"So, moving on from that little mishap. We are faced with the dilemma of finding you an outfit for tonight." The atmosphere lightened and Alyce meandered over to her friend. She pulled some underwear and a pair of pajamas out from the drawers beside her closet and retreated to the bathroom to change. Chris continued leafing through her wardrobe, pausing every once in a while to shake his head at the vast array of Root's apparel that had it's own section on the side. The girl practically hoarded anything Canadian. He knew for a fact that she had three huge canisters of Tim Horton's hot chocolate mix, and at least two big bottles of pure maple syrup. He wondered how on earth she thought she would be able to finish all of it. He turned to see Alyce emerge from the bathroom, dressed in black, flannel pants and a dark red, threadbare McGill University Chemical Engineering sweatshirt. "So what were you thinking?" he started, "Dress or…?" He looked back to her closet, noticing her severe lack of skirts. "Dress it is! Now, what colour?"

* * *

><p>Alyce sat in front of her mirror, putting the finishing touches on her hair. It was curled, Chris stating that it would look better with her dress. They had finally, after many minutes of debate, decided that she would wear a simple black dress, that came in at the waist and then flared out. She adored the pretty white lace that adorned the thin shoulder straps. (See 'Simply Stunning' dress ModCloth(dot)com) <em>"Darlin', why am I not surprised it rained today?"<em> she sang, pulling gently on a curl to loosen it. Chris walked in, smiling crookedly at her song selection. She rolled her eyes and stood up. "_Doesn't it seem my broken heart just tends, to ride the wind. But what will break the weight that's held up by a string?" _She sang to Chris, who chuckled and pointed to his watch. "_You don't reminisce like me 'bout how it was, romanticizing these redundant thoughts." _He walked over to the vanity and took her hand, pulling her slowly into the living room. _"I'm never free, so I wait for your parade to come rain down on me." _Alyce broke away from Chris, starting to skip lightly around the room. Chris rolled his eyes and looked nervously at his watch, debating whether or not Alyce's spontaneity would make them late.

_I'm running around hoping to find  
>Somebody like the boy that I left behind<br>Who loved all of me  
>My fingernails and scatterbrain and crooked teeth<em>

Alyce's dance stopped suddenly when an unexpected voice joined to sing the next verse.

_Oh dreams don't carry quite the weight they used to have  
>Two kids looking through rosy colored glass<em>

_Like fools in love  
>The summer drugged our senses, filled our eyes with stars<em>

Chris chuckled at the sudden appearance of Darren, which nearly derailed the song. But this was Alyce, and she never messed up a song if she could help it. Well now there was no use in trying to get them to leave. He was going to have to wait patiently until they were done. It was _Darren's _birthday after all, so he could do what he pleased. Smiling, he watched the two dance and sing daintily around eachother, the looks in their eyes reminded him of the first time he met Alyce.

_*FLASHBACK*_

"No, Mark you can't make me a profile on OhMojo."

"Why not?" Mark whined, sulking in his chair. "I'm just trying to get you some man-candy!"

Chris shook his head in exasperation, "There are so many things wrong with that sentence. And I do not need your help getting 'man-candy'!"

Just then, Amber laughed from her seat across the conference table. "Please! When is the last time you went on a date?" she asked sassily. "And your interview with Perez Hilton does not count!" She added, when Chris started to respond.

"That is _so _not the point! I could get a date in a millisecond if I wanted to!"

Lea chortled, and exchanged looks with Heather, who was just smirking at her script, trying to read her lines. "Oh, so you just _want_ to be alone and miserable?"

Chris sent a glare around the table. "I hate you all," he mumbled, taking out his phone and running through his messages. Suddenly the new message indicator lit up. It was Darren. "Hey guys!" he said, trying to quiet the din that had started to build up in the room. "Guys! It's Darren!" At that everyone stilled, those who weren't, turning to face the young actor. "He says he's walking across the lot with her now." Whispers filled the room. Ryan Murphy lifted his head from the notebook he was writing in and glanced at the various faces in the room.

"Alright," he announced, standing up and closing the book. "Before they come, rules. You all have to be nice and welcoming." At that, everybody in the room scoffed. Mark muttered in denial. Ryan gave him a menacing look and continued, "And! Please remember this girl is only…fifteen? Sixteen? Whatever, what matters is that you remind yourselves that you cannot just talk to her like she is your age. That means _no _swearing!" He paused for a moment to let it sink in, but when he opened his mouth to continue, he was silenced by a knock on the door. The bodies in the room turned to the door warily, not knowing what to expect. "Come in!"

The knob turned and in walked Darren. He stepped forward and a girl followed him. She was a young thing, with long brown hair that didn't seem to know whether it was wavy or straight. Her hands played nervously with the neckline of her dress, which looked as if she had stolen it off the Mad Men set. It was a dark turqouise number, with a trenchcoat-type top and elbow-length sleeves. (See 'Office Supervisor' dress ModCloth(dot)com) Darren made his way towards his seat, the girl stayed still for a moment, before breaking out of her haze and stumbling forward. She tried to weave around the chairs, but her foot got caught on the leg of an empty chair and she fell forward.

"Oh shit!"

A collective gasp sounded, the actors watching in silent shock as the girl caught herself on the back of the chair. Her eyes widened, and her head turned slowly. She was still in the half-bent position she fell into, and she didn't look capable of moving. Chris looked at the others, who were just staring. "Oh, thank god! We thought we were going to have to be careful around you."

The sound of Chris' voice effectively unfroze the scene, the girl quickly righted herself, and Darren walked back over to her. Lea sighed in relief and chuckled, this sending a wave of lightness around the room.

"Guys," Darren said, placing one of his hands lightly on the girl's back. "This is Alyce. Alyce, this is guys."

"Um…hi." 'Alyce' said meekly. Chris wondered if she was going to be this shy all the time, he would definitely have to do something about that. Greetings were heard around the room, and names were exchanged. Darren took her hand and, careful to stay away from the chairs, led her around the table to their seats. He pulled out the chair beside Chris for her, and sat one over.

"Why hello there, Alyce." He said, giving her a curious smile. She smiled back, sitting small in the chair. "My name is Chris."

She giggled, and the sound of little bells filled the air. "I know, I know who you are."

Darren's head appeared from behind her and he looked to Chris. "She's also a writer. And an artist. And she speaks French." He rambled, Chris was wondering how many skills he and this girl shared, and if Darren was going to list them all.

"How interesting. Well I must see some of your work sometime then." This prompted a blush from Alyce who turned and gave Darren an annoyed look.

"Stop embarrassing me Dare!" she whispered harshly. Lea heard the not-so-quiet demand and laughed.

"Yeah, Dare! Stop being such a proud mom!" she teased. Cory laughed as well, and this prompted many laughs and smirks around the room. Chris noticed Alyce smile cheekily, and he grinned, pleased with her attitude.

Ryan cleared his throat, and the sound quieted. "Alright. Alyce it's a pleasure to meet you. We all look forward to working with you. Are you excited?"

Alyce gave a small chuckle, "A bit nervous, but definitely excited. I'm still pretty sure I'm dreaming." This statement charmed the room and Ryan gave her a satisfied smile.

"Well why don't we get to work. I'm assuming you've been over the script with Darren?" Alyce nodded. "Great, well we'll start from the beginning then. Naya?"

Naya nodded and began reading out loud. Chris took the opportunity to glance at Alyce who was looking down at her own script. He didn't know how, but he knew this girl was going to change their lives.

* * *

><p>"Chris?"<p>

"Yeah?" The man said, his mind coming back to the present.

"What is it with people today and spacing out? I love you guys but you need to get some sleep." Darren looked back and forth between Alyce and Chris.

Chris stood up from his seat at the counter and straightened himself out. "Nonsense, I was just thinking."

"Guys, we should probably go. Unless we want Darren to be late for his own dinner." Alyce picked up her coat and slid it on. The boys did the same without protest and they all walked out of Aly's apartment.

"Isn't the idea that I can arrive whenever I want, and everyone else is just early?" Alyce rolled her eyes and pushed Darren forward. She was trying to get them out the door as fast as possible, because if there was one thing she hated, it was being late.

"Only if you're the Queen. And I think we all know that if any of us have a shot at royalty, it's me, hands down." Chris argued. Alyce had to admit, he looked very princely.

"Well you never know." Alyce said as Darren disappeared down the stairs to the parking garage. "I mean maybe Prince Harry doesn't have a girlfriend for a reason." She suggestively raised her eyebrows at her friend, who blushed fiercely. A few minutes later Darren pulled up to find Alyce laughing and Chris looking intently at his shoes.

He rolled down the window and leaned out, "Did I miss something?" His question made Alyce laugh more and Chris glare at her. Darren noticed his pale face had turned an alarming shade of red.

"Ahh," Alyce sighed happily, "just Chris blushing about a certain prince."

Darren raised his eyebrows and sat back in his seat. "I don't want to know. Alyce are you coming with me or Chris?"

"You, I need to make sure you don't run away!"

Darren unlocked the door and looked at her expectantly. She glanced over at Chris, who was starting his own car. He gave her a grin and revved his engine before pulling away from the curb. Alyce climbed into the truck and and turned to Darren, who was staring out the windshield. "What are you doing?" She asked, "Follow that car!"

* * *

><p>The ride was pretty uneventful, but as Alyce and Darren pulled into the restaurant parking lot, the young girl nervously tried to steer the subject away from herself.<p>

"How did you manage to come in at that precise moment?"

"Well," Darren explained, "I may have been waiting by the door when I heard the first line."

Alyce gave him a judging look, "That's just creepy. You know, a _normal _person wouldn't stand outside a fifteen year-old girl's apartment, listening to her sing."

Darren opened his mouth to argue but just looked confused. "You're fifteen?"

"What?" Alyce asked, trying to confuse him into changing the subject.

"You just said a fifteen year-old girl's apartment. I thought you were sixteen?"

"Um, not yet. Hey look! We're here!" She pointed out the window quickly.

"Yeah, we've been here for five minutes, Al. Why are you so skittish?"

"I'm not. But, it's your birthday today, not mine, so we should really get going."

Darren didn't look like he was going to give up anytime soon. "If you haven't turned sixteen yet, then when is your birthday? It's already November."

Alyce sighed, she was going to have to tell him sooner or later. She didn't really have any reason to want to avoid the subject, it was just weird. She was the one who planned things, she liked it that way. But, what if they tried to surprise her? She wouldn't be able to control what happened and frankly that kind of scared her. Well, she would just have to make it clear that they couldn't surprise her. "It's next week alright? And I already know exactly what I'm doing!"

"Next week," he pondered, "and you know exactly what you're doing? Well that's funny because Chris just told me that this morning you forgot that it was next week. So you planned the whole thing in a couple hours? Wow, that's quick!"

"Wait, you knew? Why'd you let me go on like that?"

Darren studied her face, waiting a minute before answering. "You didn't tell me. Why didn't you tell me?"

Alyce shrugged, "I-I... I don't know, I just guess I didn't want you to get any ideas. I didn't have enough time to plan it all, and I wanted to make sure I knew what was happening."

Darren gave her a pitying look and shook his head. "Well why didn't you just say so? We wouldn't do anything if you really didn't want us to." Alyce felt stupid now. Why had she thought they wouldn't understand? They always understood. She looked down at her hands, and Darren tapped his fingers on the wheel. "Alright come on! We've got a dinner to get to!"

When they got inside, they saw that everybody was already there, and Chris gave them an annoyed look. "What'd you do, get lost?" he glared. Darren and Alyce simultaneously rolled their eyes, which prompted laughs from the everyone at the large table.

As the two sat down, a waiter walked up and began handing out menus. Alyce opened hers and studied it for a minute before shyly tapping Chris, who was sitting beside her, on the shoulder. "Psst!" She whispered, "I'm kind of new at this." Chris frowned in confusion. "Well, umm, when I go to my friends' parties...their parents usually pay for dinner. What happens now?" Alyce glanced around quickly to see if anyone was listening, but everyone was too busy trying to decide what to eat. Darren could see her whispering to Chris but he just assumed she was discussing options. "I mean, like, do we all pay for our own, or do we split it, or do we pay our own and split Darren's?"

Chris gave a small chuckle and placed his hand over hers, settling her. "Relax, Al, we all pay our own, just like a normal dinner."

Alyce visibly relaxed and gave him a meek smile. She then turned back to her own menu and began looking through it.

Once all of the meals had been ordered and the drinks had arrived, Chris gathered everyone's attention and stood up.

"Now that we are all settled, it's time to begin the celebration." Everybody simply smiled up at Chris, who had taken on the role of the host. "We obviously know why we're here, it's Darren's twenty-fifth birthday!" Cheers rang out, and the other customers in the restaurant looked over in curiosity. "Now normally we would be partying it up at a club, but seeing as there is a minor in attendance," Guests turned to smirk at Alyce, who slapped Chris' thigh lightly, looking up at him in playful annoyance. "We will enjoy a lovely dinner here, and reconvene at Darren and Alyce's place."

"Yes, because our _separate _apartments magically melded into one overnight! Early birthday present."

Chris ignored Alyce's sarcastic remark and continued. "And now, because I cannot wait any longer. Darren," he began, turning to the twenty-five year old. "We have a little, present for you." Darren looked interested, and so did Alyce. She had only seen part of the video, so she was anxious to see this mysterious 'other video'. Chris motioned to someone who looked like the manager. The man wheeled over a portable screen and a projector, and began setting them up. Darren looked to Alyce for any clue as to what the gift was, but she just smiled coyly and pulled a DVD from her bag. She stood up and handed it to the manager, who inserted it into the laptop that was connected to the projector. He then gestured to one of his employees, who walked over to a dial on the wall and dimmed the lights. Darren expected the rest of the people in the restaurant to be upset, but they appeared to have been forewarned. There were small candles on the tables to help them see their food, but the patrons were more interested in watching the spectacle before them. The manager nodded to Chris and Alyce, who sat down, before pressing a button on the laptop and stepping back into the shadows.

There was a soft click and the sound of shuffling. A blurry image came up on the screen, it looked as if someone was shaking the camera.

"_Oh shit!" _A voice cursed, it was obvious by the choice of words that it was Alyce. The image shook a bit more before going still, it was a picture of a shoe. Or rather, the camera was on the floor.

"_Give it to me, Alyce!"_

"_Alright, alright!"_

"_Geez, you're gonna break it!"_

The screen tilted some more before finally it leveled and a familiar living room came into view. Then, Chris and Alyce stepped into the frame looking slightly flushed. The audience laughed, and Darren could see they left that in for comedic effect. Alyce's face turned solemn, and Chris' eyes filled with tears. The girl unfolded a piece of paper and began to read.

"_If you're reading this, it means that we are not with you anymore."_

Chris took the paper when Alyce appeared too emotional to go on.

"_We know you are probably sad, and more than a little bit scared, but you need to know that we loved y-"_

"_Wait!" _Alyce cut Chris off and took back the paper. She read it over and sighed in frustration. _"Chris! This is the wrong speech! We want the birthday one, this is the horrific plane crash will one!"_

Relieved chuckles rang out around the table, and Darren, who had been looking at Alyce in worry, gave her an exasperated look. She grinned smugly before turning back to the screen.

The on-screen Alyce looked through her pockets and coming up empty, stuck her hand into the back pocket of Chris' jeans. His eyes widened as Alyce checked the other one. When she straightened up, she gave him an appraising look.

"_I have no more pockets so don't even go there!"_

Lea burst out laughing, which prompted the others to do the same. Even, as Darren saw, some of the other customers were chuckling in their seats. On-screen, Alyce sighed and then held her head up confidently.

"_It's no matter. I can wing it!" _

Chris looked at her in mock horror, "_Oh Lord, no," _grabbed a remote off the counter and pressed a button before Alyce could stop him. The screen went black, but then the sound of music started coming softly through the speakers. It was unrecognizable at first, but as it got louder, the strains became familiar. Queen poured out of the speakers as a slideshow began to play on screen. It was a sappy sort of show, with many silly pictures of Darren fooling around on set. Lea laughed as a picture of her and Darren sneaking up behind an unsuspecting Chris came up on screen. The images progressed to more sentimental smiley photos. Then, as if moving through the months, they changed to unsuspecting shots. Photos taken when the model wasn't looking. The vast majority of them were of Darren, taken by Alyce during their frequent book-reading marathons. And just as quickly as the photos had come, they left, the transitions between each one lengthening and the number of faces lessening. Smoothly, the song faded, and the screen darkened.

The new clip opened to Alyce, sitting in a very dark, but familiar place-or at least it was to Darren. As Alyce's speech played, the girl herself looked to the reciever, watching for his reaction. He was viewing the video with a thoughtful expression. He seemed to truly understand what she was saying. Chris saw her and gave her a small smile, which she returned before looking back to the screen. Darren chuckled and nudged Alyce playfully when the background suddenly changed to the inside of a recording studio. She blushed and tried to keep from smiling, it was only the two of them who knew why, though the look on Chris' face told her that he had guessed what happened. Darren continued to watch her speech, and Alyce took the opportunity to examine the reactions of the rest of the cast.

Amber and Kevin kept cracking up, though Alyce wasn't sure what about. Lea was calmly following the video, a content expression on her face. Turning her head slightly, she made eye contact with Heather and Naya, who both proceeded to give her suggestive looks. She ignored them with a roll of her eyes, and glanced over at Cory. He was smiling proudly up at the screen. She and him were pretty close, both being Canucks and all. They bonded over the sadness when November had come and snow was nowhere to be seen. Well, she did at least, he was from Vancouver so he didn't see much snow. At least he understood why she would be sad, everyone else just thought she was being ridiculous. I mean, who would wish for snow and cold and ice? An uprooted Canadian would, she wanted to say, but it was a silly thing to argue over so she let it go.

Her clip ended and a new one started up, but Alyce didn't recognize it and figured it was probably that mysterious 'other video'. The screen was bright, and as it focused it was clear that the camera was looking out a window. A noice came from behind and the camera turned around, it was Chris. He came forward and jangled something in front of the lens. They were keys...they were Alyce's keys. Alyce focused an alarmed look at Chris, who just smiled misschievously and kept his eyes on the screen. It was now that she realized they were in her apartment, and she worried about what this video would be about. Chris and the cameraman walked to her door and exited the apartment, but instead of walking to the elevators, they walked towards Darren's apartment. Now it was Darren's turn to look alarmed, and he did, turning to Alyce. She just shrugged, she had no idea what was going on either. The man on the screen arrived at Darren's apartment and held a finger to his lips, signalling the cameraman to keep quiet. He unlocked the door very slowly and gently pushed it open, wincing at any sound louder than the drop of pin. It was then that Alyce saw the need to be quiet, they weren't walking into an empty apartment. As the camera walked through the foyer, Alyce and Darren came into view. They were sitting, oblivious to the presence of the two men, on the couch. The camera hid behind a small table in the hall and zoomed in on the two, who appeared to be studying something intently. Alyce was sitting, cross-legged on top of Darren's feet, which couldn't have been comfortable for him, but he seemed fine. Their faces were close and their bodies hunched over. It looked like they were…holding hands? The cameraman moved around to get a better look but he couldn't see anything in their hands.

"_Well?" _Alyce asked expectantly. She looked up from his hands, and so did he.

"_It takes time, Al. Just let me think."_

The girl frowned and looked back down at their hands. Back in the restaurant, a few of their friends were giving them questioning looks, while they were shooting the same at Chris. He rolled his eyes and shooed them away. Darren and Alyce both knew very well what was going on.

"_How long am I supposed to wait for you?"_

"_I don't know!" _he said, getting frustrated, "_This is a big decision, I don't want to screw up and break your heart!"_

At that the entire group turned, shocked, towards them. The two looked at eachother and then glared at Chris. He chuckled smugly, leaving the cast in disbelief.

"_Oh come on! It's just palm reading Dare! My life is not actually in your hands!"_

It was when Darren lifted up Alyce's hand to look closer at it that everyone realized he was holding it palm-up and tracing his free hand over the lines on it. The group of friends sighed in relief before laughing at Darren and Alyce's expense. The two just continued glaring at Chris. The clip ended and a new one started playing. Chris' face appeared, he was sitting in the recording booth where Alyce had left him earlier that day.

"_Hello, my name is Chris Colfer. I play Kurt Hummel on Glee an I'll be your host for this episode of 'Why We Love Darren Criss.' On today's show we're going to take a look at Darren's influence on our relationships. Now I could go on and on about how many times he has tried to set each of us up with one of his Starkid friends," _A collective groan of agreement sounded, and Darren shot back an _I-have-done-no-such-thing _look. "_But, I would like to focus on someone who he tried, and succeeded, to set us all up with."_

Instead of continuing on to say who it was, the clip cut to Lea and Cory, in costume and sitting on chairs in the choir room set.

"_My first thought was, 'How on earth did he get Ryan to agree to this?'" _Lea said, holding back a laugh.

"_I was relieved," _Cory stated, _"Like finally there was someone who would understand me."_

The screen switched to show Hemo and Naya leaning against a trailer.

"_I thought it was ironic, 'cause we've never had someone who actually _was_ the right age." _Heather explained.

Naya nodded and added, _"I was like, 'You went to Canada for a week and you came back with a person?'"_

Again the video cut, and Kevin, Jenna, and Harry came on screen. They looked as if they had already been laughing about something.

Kevin quieted the others and began, _"I thought she was adorable, but when I asked where I could get one, he gave me this death glare."_

Jenna laughed again, _"I was away visiting my parents, and when I walked into rehearsal, Chris ran up to me and yelled, 'Darren adopted a Canadian!' so I was just confused."_

"_Darren sat me down and said, 'Harry, I have a friend who is going to join us soon and I want you to make sure everyone is nice to her."_

Alyce laughed as she realized it was her everyone was talking about, She counted off the ccast members in her head and looked up in time to see Dianna and Mark's faces appear on screen.

"_He showed me her photo and told me about her and I thought she was the cutest thing, I was really excited to meet her." _Dianna said.

Mark laughed, _"I heard the words, 'new guest star', and immediately began planning a prank."_

Now only Chord, Amber, and Damian had to say their piece. A sound of whispering came from the speakers and the scene opened on Amber whispering in Chord's ear.

"_I wasn't here that day, or the day she came, so I arrived on set and saw Chris skipping down the hall with Amber, giggling about his new best friend."_

Amber laughed at Chord's words and looked into the lens. _"Chris found out and then told me, and he would _not _stop talking about her. I was like, 'That poor girl is going to go insane if I let Chris loose on her.'"_

They both looked at Damian, who looked a bit nervous, _"I was just happy I wasn't the new kid anymore. Everyone's great but it was kind of fun to be able to fuss over the new kid myself."_

When that clip cut, Alyce realized that Chris hadn't said anything. But it wasn't his face that appeared next, it was hers. Or rather, it was a picture of her with her the cast on her first day. As photos of her and the others, as well of clips of funny moments played on screen, Aly watched Chris. He was alternating between watching Darren and her's reactions and the video. How did she get so lucky? Here she was, having dinner with an Emmy-award winner and countless Broadway stars. It had happened so fast, she hadn't had time to realize just what was happening. Now that she took pause, she thought about just how fortunate she was. She spent everyday with her best friends. She got to sing and dance and act. Working and living with these people who were there for the same reasons and who understood why she loved music so much, was unlike anything she had back home. Darren looked over at her and smiled, he was also thinking about his luck. But rather, he was wondering what his life would be like if she hadn't of sent that first email. He definitely wouldn't be here right now, watching an incredibly well-made video in his knew this girl could make sucha an impact on his life? He for sure had had no idea, but it seemed as if Chris knew from the very first moment that she was special. But she wasn't just special. She had written a whole speech on how great she thought he was, but he never really had a chance to tell her how great she was. She was wonderful, everybody thought so. She had such a big imagination and the way she viewed the world was so refreshing. At the beginning everybody had had the idea that she would be this young, green, girl; making mistakes and trying to kiss up to the actors. She had blown that image out of the water whe she had come in ready to work and not expecting anything. She was more mature and independant than any of them were at her age. Even so, she wasn't uptight, she had fun and didn't take things too seriously. In reality, she was full of opposites; young but old, experienced but new, calm but crazy! She found ways to show people she meant business, without intimidating them. In a way, she, this girl who was younger than all of them, was like their mother. She made them eat right (no McDonald's!) and kept them on task (read lines, not meme's).

A chorus of 'aww's broke Alyce and Darren from their reveries and brought their focus up to the screen, which was now displaying a beaming Alyce. She was standing in her living room surrounded by hundreds of paper snowflakes. In her hands she held a bright orange toque, presented to her by Darren on occasion of the first snow of the year. That day had actually meant a lot to Alyce, who wasn't in Toronto to actually experience it herself. They had made do, holed up in her apartment with hot chocolate and cookies (made by Alyce that morning), telling stories and playing board games. That was the day that Alyce learned 'Harry Potter Scene It' was Darren's favourite game. It was one that Alyce played a lot at home, and playing against Darren was the first time anyone had beat her. It was also the day that Darren learned 'Ticket to Ride' was Aly's favourite game. That one she had won, if only because no one else had ever played it before, much to Alyce's dismay. She had woken up that day to find Darren on her couch, passed out. On the floor in front of him was a box full of snowflakes. It had taken all of ten minutes to wake the boy up, and fifteen minutes more to make breakfast and invite everyone over to enjoy a snow day with them.

Alyce blushed and gave Chris a satisfied smile. Everyone was enjoying the video, especially Darren.

Lea's face returned, again in the choir room, though, this time she appeared to be alone.

"_Ah, Darren. Where do I begin?" _she mused, rubbing her hands over her knees. She was sat on one fo the red plastic chairs, looking very in-character. _"Happy Birthday! I guess that's probably a good place. You are such a great person. Honestly, you are the nicest, sweetest, humblest- to the point of self-deprecating- person I know. Now of course I love everyone equally! But since it's your birthday, today I love you the most! When you joined Glee, you brought this great energy to the set, on-camera and off. It's even greater now that you go to McKinley, 'cause now we get to spend _all _day with you! Thanks for being such a wonderful friend and co-worker. I hope you have the most wonderful day ever!"_

Next came Cory.

"_Uh, hey man! Happy twenty-fifth birthday! When I heard Kurt was getting a boyfriend my inner Finn came out. I had to remind myself that Kurt and Blaine were just characters! And so I was a little wary of Blaine, but you won me over so fast, and I knew Kurt was in good hands! Then I heard Blaine was getting a sister! By then I was protective of Kurt _and _Blaine. I should have known that a friend of _yours_ and a fellow Canadian no less, would be a great person. Nevertheless you have amazing taste in friends, and Aly was no exception! I remember when you came to me and told me about her and asked me to look out for her. Aside from being totally psyched that there was finally going to be another hockey fan on set, I couldn't help but notice how concerned you were that she be welcomed into the family. That's so like you, to make it your mission to make sure everyone is having fun and getting along. So thanks for cheering us all up when we need it! You're the best Dare!"_

And then Dianna's bright eyes appeared, she was lounging on a cast chair, fidgeting with a bottle of water.

"_Darren, you are so amazing. You really deserve the best birthday ever! If only, because you introduced me to Alyce! Without whom my life would not be complete! I think we all know how hard birthdays can be when you're away from your family, but that's why we're here! To be your substitute family! And I totally call the cool aunt, just saying. So anyways, Thank you again, for being you! Which we all _love!_ Happy Birthday D!"_

At this point, Darren's eyes were glistening and no one could help but smile dumbly at the cloud of happiness and love that filled the room. Alyce chuckled to herself when she saw that literally everyone in the restaurant was watching the video. Couples had even gotten up form their seats to get a better view. Chord, Heather, Naya, Amber, Damian, Mark, Harry, Jenna, and Kevin each said their pieces. All of them were chockful of compliments and proclamations of love, and as much as Alyce loved each of them, there was one bit in particular she was waiting for. As if he had read her mind in the future, Chris popped up on screen. He was again in the recording booth, but he wasn't joking around anymore, he was serious.

"_I figured it was only appropriate that I close the show, seeing as Alyce started it. And so, I begin my part, which is addressed to the both of you, because honestly, sometimes I forget you're two different people. You two often appear to be in your own world, which is surprising because I'm pretty sure you guys are the most well-informed people I know. This week is a very special week, because, not only is it your birthday, Darren." _He paused and Alyce hid her face, knowing what he would reveal next._ "But next week, it's Alyce's!" _She groaned as she heard exclamations of surprise from around her. Darren reached over and pulled her hands away from her face. He smiled and squeezed her hand, and she smiled back and lifted her head to the screen. _"And I know, Ms. Crazy-Party-Planner doesn't want a huge bash. So I suppose we'll have to respect your wishes. But! You can expect lots of loving and hugging for the entire week! You guys are the light of my life, because, being honest, no one would be able to stand Darren's antics if you weren't here to keep them at bay. I feel as if I can't say much about how amazing you both are, without sounding like a broken record, because I know everyone else has been saying the same things. So, I've decided to not think about the past, but tell you about my wishes for the future. I hope you realize, Alyce, that we are not letting you go anywhere. We don't ever plan on giving you back to those people you call your 'real family'. I want you to stay here with us forever and each time your character has to leave, I want you to come up with another character to play and wow us with your skills! I want the whole world to see how amazing you are, as they already know how amazing Darren is. Also, neither of you can ever move apartments because I don't know how Alyce will get to work if she can't bug you for rides, Darren. When I first heard Lea sing with you, I thought it was the best vocal pairing Glee had yet to see. But then I heard _Alyce_ and you, and my world stopped. Of course it started turning a couple seconds later, but for a moment, it just stopped. Unable to move on, dumbfounded. Okay, maybe it was just me, not my world, but the point is...The point is that it was wonderful. You guys make our lives better just by simply being around, and that's definitely not going to change anytime soon. So enjoy it, enjoy everyone hanging on your every word and granting your every wish for the next few days. You guys deserve it and more. Happy Birthday Darren, and Happy Early Birthday Alyce. I love you guys so much and I hope you have a wonderful birthday."_

Alyce couldn't hold it in anymore, the tears spilled down her cheeks. She was beaming. Alyce tackled Chris and held him tight, their position was slightly awkward given the fact that they were both sitting down, but they didn't care. Chris laughed and hugged her back, rubbing her shoulder with one of his hands.

"Don't I get a hug too?" Darren said, and was immediately bombarded by Alyce and Chris, and then by the rest of the cast as people got out of their chairs and formed a massive group hug around the three. After a few joyous minutes, the group separated and retreated to their respective seats. No one could keep the smiles off of their faces, they were just too happy in the moment. They were having the time of their lives, and tonight had reminded them of it.

Food came, and everyone ate. There were about seven different conversations going on at once. Alyce was sitting tall in her chair, holding one each of Darren and Chris' hands in hers. They had a feeling she would never let go, but they didn't particularly mind. Today had been a day none of them would forget for a while, and though it was coming to a close, Alyce couldn't help but feel that this happiness would never go away.

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><p><strong>There it is! I really hope you guys liked it and I'll try to make some more longer chapters cuz I know everyone likes them longer. Also I'm going to post one of my drabbles now. I have to be careful about which ones I post because some of them could give away future spoilers, so anyways lemme know what you think and show your friends!<strong>


	7. Drabble: We Should Share More

**Here's my first drabble. Keep in mind it's really short, these are just random conversations I imagine them having sometimes. I might also start breaking up chapters with little text conversations I have written down.**

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><p>Darren and Alyce laughed as they talked about, well what else than their favourite Glee episodes? Alyce held her hand over her mouth, trying to quiet the laughs and failing. When they had finally managed to stop, Alyce held her hand up to prevent Darren from saying something else. "Oh my god, I've got another slightly embarrassing one!" Darren clapped his hands, urging her to continue. "Okay okay okay! So you remember the episode with the girls reform school and the deaf school?" Darren nodded excitedly, of course he did "Well," she couldn't believe she was actually telling him this. "When the deaf school sang 'Imagine'," she paused again, preparing herself for Darren's inevitable rolling eyes. "I signed all the words along with them…<em>all <em>of the words."

She huffed, waiting for what would be his sarcastic remark, but it didn't come. Instead, he looked at her in surprise, "You _signed?_"

"Yeah. As in sign language?"

"You know sign language?" he asked incredulously. Alyce rolled her eyes, she just said she knew all of the words to the sign language version of the cover, and all he got was sign language?

"Yes. Did I never tell you that?" He shook his head in response. "Oh…maybe that was about French…or shooting a gun…" His eyes widened. "Didn't tell you about that either did I? Ahh, we should probably have a talk."

Darren just stared at her like she had grown a second head. "Who are you? You're not an FBI agent are you? Did I do something?"

Alyce laughed at his surprise, "If I _were _an agent," she began, then, seeing his expression added, "which I'm _not!_ I'd be an RCMP agent, not FBI. I'm way too patriotic for that."

"What's an RMPC agent?" Darren asked, tilting his head to the side, which Alyce noticed, made him look like a ten-year old.

"R-C-M-P. It's the Royal Canadian Mounted Police."

Darren's mouth dropped and his age went from ten to five, "You catch bad guys on horses? That's so much cooler than driving cars!"

Alyce sighed, wondering how on earth he graduated from university, let alone high school. "It's a really old name. Only a few of them still ride, and that's only in the more rural areas. They're actually almost exactly like the FBI." She let that sink in, and watched realization play across his face. "Wait. We're talking about my mad skills, not my country's agencies."


End file.
